As reluctant as I am about intervention, this is a reasonable compromise: "But if the Libyan regime starts killing people in their thousands—and especially if it uses helicopter gunships or aircraft—diplomatic reluctance should melt away. Too often the world has dithered open-mouthed as evil men have slaughtered Darfuris or Rwandans with impunity. Outsiders, led by the UN, must help Libya’s emerging transitional councils with humanitarian aid. The UN Security Council may yet have to be persuaded to restore peace by invoking the ample power of Chapter VII. And if that proves unattainable, the widest possible coalition of the willing, ideally including Libya’s Arab neighbours, must protect Libyan civilians by arming the opposition and defending them from aerial attack."

"The rioters’ political demands were more modest than those of their cousins elsewhere in the Arab world. Few called for the monarchy to be replaced or for full-blown democracy. But they want the sultan’s advisory council to have more power. They also want the sultan to sack some unpopular ministers, tackle corruption, give the press more freedom, and curb the influence of rich families close to government."

A wonderful place, Oman. "The rioters’ political demands were more modest than those of their cousins elsewhere in the Arab world. Few called for the monarchy to be replaced or for full-blown democracy. But they want the sultan’s advisory council to have more power. They also want the sultan to sack some unpopular ministers, tackle corruption, give the press more freedom, and curb the influence of rich families close to government."

This is how Mubarak's Egypt worked: "Employees of Egypt's Trade and Industry Ministry have reportedly sent a notice to Attorney-General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces alleging that the ministry used to pay 72 high-ranking officers associated with the notorious State Security Investigation Bureau (SSIB) sums of up to LE174,000 each every two months to write positive reports about the ministry's performance."